Campaigns To Enroll Young Adults in ACA’s Exchanges Ramp Up

On Wednesday, Enroll America -- a not-for-profit organization that has launched a national campaign to help the Obama administration raise awareness and boost enrollment in the Affordable Care Act's insurance exchanges -- announced that it will use back-to-school college fairs and backpack giveaways to encourage young adults to enroll in the new marketplaces, The Hill's "Healthwatch" reports (Viebeck [1], "Healthwatch," The Hill, 8/28).

The effort comes along several other outreach strategies, such as advertising campaigns, celebrity endorsements and partnerships with professional sports leagues.

Obama administration officials have said they need to enroll 2.7 million U.S. residents between ages 18 and 35 in the law's insurance exchanges to offset the cost of older, sicker individuals. Some observers say this younger age group will be "a tough sell" because they could be reluctant to purchase coverage they might rarely use (California Healthline, 8/26).

As part of its back-to-school effort, Enroll America President Anne Filipic -- a former White House staffer -- and colleagues will visit school campuses across the country to explain the coverage benefits in the exchanges to students and parents. According to the Washington Times, the organization is targeting several states, including Florida, Ohio and Texas, with large populations (Howell, Washington Times, 8/28).

Filipic said in a statement, "As young adults go back to school -- or send their own kids back to school -- we don't want them to face another school year with worry about getting hurt playing sports, or that an unexpected health scare will force them to drop out" ("Healthwatch," The Hill, 8/28).

Sebelius' PSA Touts ACA to Young Adults

In related news, HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius is appearing in a new public service announcement aimed at encouraging young adults to enroll in the exchanges, The Hill's "Healthwatch" reports. In the video and radio PSA, Sebelius warns that everyone is "just an accident or illness away from a devastating medical bill," noting that "help is on the way" because of the ACA.

Sebelius adds, "Some of you may feel like you're too healthy to need health insurance, or it's just too expensive. ... But we never know when we'll get into a car accident, or when we'll need to make that unexpected trip to the ER." She continues, "Without insurance, we have to pay for all these things out of our own pockets" (Viebeck [2], "Healthwatch," The Hill, 8/28).